Global Security Newswire

The U.S. man accused of plotting to bomb New York City's Times Square appeared yesterday for the first time in federal court, where he told a judge that a court document accurately reflected information he had supplied to authorities following his arrest, the New York Times reported (see GSN, May 18).

Faisal Shahzad, a 30-year-old naturalized citizen who immigrated from Pakistan, reportedly decided to cease forgoing his right to a speedy court appearance after weeks of complying with the FBI and Joint Terrorism Task Force investigation into the failed May 1 car bomb attack. The court in Manhattan did not request a plea at yesterday's hearing.

Shahzad was arrested on May 3 after he boarded a passenger aircraft heading to Dubai. He is charged with attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction, attempting acts of terrorism and other charges. If found guilty, Shahzad could be sentenced to life in prison.

Shahzad said only one word during the hearing, which finished in nine minutes. He replied "yes" when asked whether the court affidavit was factual.

U.S. Attorney Randall Jackson informed the court that the prosecution wanted to continue to hold the accused terrorist. Shahzad's defense attorney agreed, but indicated that she might later request that he be freed on bond (Rashbaum/Weiser, New York Times, May 18).

Meanwhile, Pakistani authorities have detained an army officer who met and conducted cell phone communication with Shahzad before the New York City incident, the Los Angeles Times reported today.

Law enforcement sources in the South Asian nation declined to say when the reported contacts took place between the terrorism suspect and the army major or what they talked about. No other Pakistani military personnel have been linked to the case.

A Pakistani Taliban operative has also been arrested. He reportedly acted as a go-between for Shahzad and the Pakistan-based group Tehrik-e-Taliban, meeting with the suspect three times last summer and giving him money to carry out the attack, the law enforcement sources said. U.S. officials have said the Pakistani extremists supplied Shahzad with about $15,000.

Shahzad has reportedly claimed that he received instruction on how to build bombs from the Taliban in North Waziristan. However, authorities in Pakistan and in the United States think he traveled to Mohmand, a separate zone along the Afghanistan border, to receive three to five days of unspecified training (Alex Rodriguez, Los Angeles Times, May 19).